BJD-BJP tussle over farmers plight

Bhubaneswar: Once again BJD and BJP are at logger heads and this time the former alliance partners are vying against each other on the agriculture and farmers plight in the state.

Though Odisha Government on Tuesday patted its back over the performance of agriculture department, BJP launched a scathing attack by launching protests at 53 places against BJD’s failure to address farmers’ problems in state.

BJP activists staged demonstrations in front of sub-collectors office in several parts against state government’s anti-farmer policies and its silence over series of farmer suicides, poor irrigation facilities, cold storages and other issues in the state.

Agriculture Minister Damodar Rout while presenting the department’s report card today, claimed that Odisha has registered a sharp increase in the food grain production which is 2.5 times as compared to the last year.

“Odisha per capita food production is highest in country and we have been awarded for the last four years by the Centre. The state has been able to irrigate 87,740 hectares of agricultural land in the last three years,” said Rout.

BJP on the other hand alleged that the state government has failed considerably to address farmers’ issues as only five cold storages are working while 13 others have become defunct in the state.

“The farmers condition in Odisha has worsened during 17 years of BJD rule,” said BJP leader Pradip Purohit.

The Congress meanwhile has blamed both BJD and BJD over poor agricultural facilities and farmers’ plight in Odisha.

“BJP was in coalition government with BJD for nine years out of 17 years rule and both are responsible for poor agriculture scenario and worsening of the farmers’ condition in state,” said Congress spokesperson Sulochana Das.